Reports of Programs and Services 



69 



appreciation reception for Volunteer Information Specialists 

 where 25-year awards were presented to two volunteers. En- 

 gagement calendars were also provided to VIARC volunteers 

 again this year, courresy of the Contributing Membership 

 Program. 



Work with the tourism industry continued through par- 

 ticipation in major marketplace activities including the 

 American Bus Association, National Tour Association, 

 Travel Industry Association, and La Cumbre, the principal 

 visit USA travel trade show for Latin American tour opera- 

 tors, and travel agents. Liaison with local hospitality, 

 convention, and visitors associations was ongoing as was 

 on-line promotion of the Smithsonian as a major tourisr des- 

 tination through TravelFile and NTA Online. Quarterly 

 mailings to more than 2,000 domestic and internarional tour 

 operators also served to promote Smithsonian activities. 

 VIARC also assisted NMNH in marketing the Discovery 

 Center for the Friday Night Shopping Festival and in pro- 

 moting rhe facility locally by cohosting the February 

 Washingron Area Concierge Association meeting at the site. 

 In addition, assistance was provided to NMAH to promote 

 the American Presidency exhibition and to NPM to increase 

 the museum's visibility within the National Tour Associa- 

 tion by arranging a special rour for some 40 operators from 

 across rhe country. 



Addirional activities during FY 2000 included enhance- 

 ments to internal and external communication systems and 

 networks, which enabled VIARC to improve information 

 services for all audiences. In the Smithsonian Information 

 Center, redesigned computer-based touch-screen interactive 

 guides to the Smithsonian and the associated new hardware 

 were installed in nine visitor stations, two updated and pho- 

 tographically enlarged electronic maps of the Washington 

 metropoliran area were installed, and two flat-screen moni- 

 tors to display scrolling listings of daily activities replaced 

 larger models on the main information desk. Office network 

 improvements included the purchase and installation of 18 

 new Pentium 500-667 MHZ computers for staff and the 

 purchase and installation of a new network server to increase 

 speed and storage capacity. Intranet and Internet improve- 

 ments included the ongoing enhancement of VIARC's Web 

 pages. The "Encyclopedia Smithsonian" and "Planning Your 

 Visit" sites were two of the most popular destinations on the 

 Smithsonian home page, logging some 3 million hits and 

 300,000 visitor sessions monthly. In addition, "Encyclopedia 

 Smithsonian" was the recipient of two awards for its stellar 

 content, a USA Today "Hot Site" award and a PC Week pick 

 of the week. With the reorganization of the SI Web site 

 maintenance of the second-level pages were absorbed by 

 VIARC. On the Intranet, numerous improvements were 

 made to assist staff, e.g., forms for requesting volunteer as- 

 sistance for translations and behind-the-scenes projecrs can 

 be downloaded; content for each museum's monthly entries 

 in VIARC's Exhibitions Directory and Calendar can be re- 

 viewed on-line. Some 1,608 public programs were promoted 

 via the chronological calendar listings alone. Greater use of 

 the "flash note" capacity available through "InfoTools," our 

 on-line information resource system, continued to prove an 



efficient method of alerting staff and volunteers to last- 

 minute changes in SI activities. Despite the latter, some 300 

 changes ro hard-copy materials were required involving re- 

 placement of some 10,000 pages during the year. 



On the wayfinding front, the reengineering of VIARC's 

 10 outdoor information pylons paid off in stteamlining the 

 process and time needed to change out panels. Text and 

 placement of the 88 pedestrian signs to be installed in the 

 National Mall area through the city-wide signing program 

 of the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District 

 (DBID) were finalized. 



Office of Contracting 



John W. Cobert, Director 



A major accomplishment for the Office of Contracting 

 during FY 2000 was the successful recruitment of an 

 exceptionally qualified individual to fill the Deputy Direc- 

 tor position. Ms. Elaine C. Duke entered on duty as Deputy 

 Director, Office of Contracting, in January 2000. The 

 leadership, programmatic planning, and management skills 

 that Ms. Duke brings with her have proven to be a great 

 asset to the Office of Contracting, and to the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



During FY 2000 the Office of Contracting continued to 

 provide centrally located advisory and assistance services to 

 staff at the Smithsonian Institution museums, research insti- 

 tutes, and offices (units) regarding their contracting and 

 procuremenr requirements. These services were provided 

 direcrly by the Office of Contracting staff, and indirectly 

 through the more than 400 individuals at 66 Smithsonian 

 units who have been delegated authority by the Director of 

 the Office of Contracting to make transaction commitments 

 on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution. Administrative and 

 program support to the Smithsonian was also continued by 

 the Administration Division through the activities of the 

 Systems Branch, Travel Services Branch, and the Property 

 and Inventory Management Branch. 



Major contracts issued by the Federal and Trusr Fund 

 Contracting and the Renovation and Construction Contract- 

 ing Divisions during FY 2000 were for repairs to the roof 

 and skylights at the National Museum of Natural History, a 

 master plan study at the National Zoological Park, design 

 and fabrication of the "The American Presidency: A Glorious 

 Burden" exhibition at the National Museum of American 

 History, improvements to the panda house at the National 

 Zoological Park, and fit-out of the Victor Building. 



The Business Contracting Division completed agreements 

 for the Smithsonian-sponsored events that were part of the 

 "Millennium on the Mall" celebration. Other contracts and 

 agreements completed by the Business Conttacting Division 

 covered the "Piano 300" exhibition at the Ripley Center, 

 development and implementation of a Web site for informa- 

 tion relating to the "American Presidency: A Glorious 

 Burden" exhibition at the National Museum of American 



